Ontarians with Disabilities Act (ODA) - Submission of a
City of Toronto Accessibility Plan

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Comments:

Context:

Toronto is one of the most diverse cities in the world and it has a long-standing goal of becoming an inclusive society where all residents, many of whom are people with disabilities, are able to fully participate in the social, cultural, recreational, economic and political life of the City.

The policy direction of City Council's Strategic Plan underlies the approach taken in addressing the needs and rights of people with disabilities in the City of Toronto. The Strategic Plan is a leadership document which guides all other planning initiatives and service delivery activities. The Strategic Plan is founded on the principles of "advocacy, community participation, equity, effectiveness, leadership, partnerships, and sustainability." (Toronto City Council Strategic Plan, November 1999)

City Council continues to demonstrate its leadership in bringing forward policies and programs which are aimed at removing and preventing barriers and which prohibit prejudice, stereotyping and discriminatory actions against people who are protected under the Ontario Human Rights Code, and in particular, the provision of protection against discrimination for people with disabilities. The City's Action Plan on Access, Equity and Human Rights included 97 recommendations which were adopted by Council in December, 1999 after consideration of the Report of the City of Toronto Task Force on Community Access and Equity. Some of the other policies and programs which have been adopted include: the policy on non-discrimination; workplace human rights and harassment policy; policy on the elimination of hate activity; employment equity policy and workforce survey; access and equity grant program; immigration and settlement policy framework; multilingual services policy; same sex spousal benefits and the principle of same sex marriage.

The preparation and implementation of the City's Accessibility Plan, while a City obligation under the ODA, is also an integral component of the development of departmental access and equity action plans as well as a component of the City's Plan of Action for the Elimination of Racism and Discrimination.

In April 2003, Council adopted the City of Toronto Plan of Action for the Elimination of Racism and Discrimination, which presents seven strategic directions for the City to take in pursuing its goal of access, equity and diversity. This report also directed the Inter-departmental Staff Team on Access and Equity to function as a corporate co-ordinating group for the Accessibility Plan, and to assist the CAO with providing regular reports to Council.

Requirements of the Accessibility Plan:

The Ontarians with Disabilities Act requires the City's Accessibility Plan to address barriers in the municipality's by-laws, polices, programs, practices and services in the following ways:

(1) report on the measures that the municipality has taken to identify, remove and prevent barriers to persons with disabilities;

(2) describe the measures in place to assess proposals for by-laws, policies, programs, practices and services to determine their effect on accessibility for persons with disabilities;

(3) list the by-laws, policies, programs, practices and services that the municipality will review in the coming year in order to identify barriers to persons with disabilities;

(4) describe the measures that the municipality intends to take in the coming year to identify, remove and prevent barriers to persons with disabilities; and

(5) make the accessibility plan available to the public.

Section 21 of the Ontarians with Disabilities Act, which has not yet been proclaimed, provides for a penalty of $50,000.00 for non-compliance with the legislative obligations.

Preparation of the Accessibility Plan:

At its meeting of February 13, 14 and 15, 2002, Toronto City Council amended the role of the City of Toronto's Community Advisory Committee on Disability Issues to fulfil the requirement under the Ontarians with Disabilities Act to establish an accessibility advisory committee.

A corporate review was initiated in the spring of 2003 and the preparation of the City's first Accessibility Plan was co-ordinated by the Inter-departmental Staff Team on Access and Equity. The City of Toronto's Disability Issues Advisory Committee was consulted on the development of the Plan. Future annual accessibility plans will involve the City's agencies, boards, commissions and special purpose bodies.

The first Accessibility Plan provides a baseline and establishes where the City is in the accessibility process. The Plan provides a framework and direction that supports and strengthens the City's commitment and efforts to respond to the needs of people with disabilities in its multiple roles as employer, service provider, grants provider, purchaser of goods and services, and in its leadership role in providing equality of access, opportunity and outcomes for all members of Toronto's diverse population.

There has been a legacy of accessibility improvement programs and practices in the City of Toronto and its former municipalities, dating from the late 1970s to the mid-1990s. In October 2000, City Council adopted the report, " Accessibility Issues - Report on the Former Toronto Accessibility Improvements Program and Plans to Ensure an Accessible Toronto by 2008", which included a commitment to develop new accessibility standards and to initiate an accessibility audit. Seventy (70) city-owned buildings were audited and new Accessibility Design Guidelines, which are based on universal design principles, have been drafted. These Guidelines will be submitted to Council in 2004.

The City of Toronto's goal is to optimise accessibility for people with disabilities by making city facilities, programs information and services more accessible; to identify and eliminate disparities; and to provide an accessible workplace.

The City of Toronto Accessibility Plan:

The following are the components of the City of Toronto's Accessibility Plan:

(1) to achieve the full implementation of the recommendations of the Final Report of the City of Toronto Task Force on Community Access and Equity;

(2) to pursue its goal of access, equity and diversity through the implementation of the City of Toronto Plan of Action for the Elimination of Racism and Discrimination;

(3) to develop effective consultation strategies with the City's Advisory Committee on Disability Issue, so that they can fulfil their responsibilities under the Ontarians with Disabilities Act;

(4) to organise planned and systemic reviews by establishing or continuing departmental accessibility advisory committees and working groups to address accessibility issues, develop strategic plans and co-ordinate reports for the annual accessibility plans;

(5) to complete an Action Plan Guide on access, equity and diversity to be used by departments and agencies, boards and commissions in developing action plans;

(6) to explore the role and options for an Office of Disability Issues;

(7) to complete the Accessibility Design Guidelines for submission to Council in 2004. The Accessibility Design Guidelines are based on Universal Design principles and will provide practical examples of solutions for optimising accessibility. The Guidelines will guide the design, planning and construction of public space and buildings and the preparation of accessibility audits;

(8) to implement a Building Condition Assessment to assess shelter facilities for barrier-free adaptation;

(9) to implement the City's Official Plan and ensure that the needs of people with disabilities are considered during the zoning by-law review and preparation of amendments;

(10) to develop a protocol to ensure that accessibility issues are addressed in new development projects;

(11) to develop an accessibility audit of Parks, Recreation and Culture facilities and programs;

(12) to review customer services operations for accessibility and continue to be responsive to the changing needs of the City's diverse communities and workforce;

(13) to address accessibility issues when issuing business licences with the goal of barrier elimination;

(14) to increase accessibility for 2003 and develop a comprehensive municipal election strategy to provide accessibility for electors with disabilities;

(15) to seek and maintain improvements to accessibility for all public meetings and events hosted by the City of Toronto;

(16) to complete the employment equity workforce survey and report on the results of the survey;

(17) to complete a policy and guidelines on workplace accommodation;

(18) to continue to improve access to the purchasing process and enhancing business opportunities for people with disabilities; and

(19) to identify stakeholders and potential community partners in developing new service delivery models which address accessibility for people with disabilities.

The City's departments have reported on the ongoing strategies to improve accessibility in policy, programs and service delivery as well as future planned strategies and initiatives. Departmental accessibility plans are appended to the Accessibility Plan.

The Community Advisory Committee on Disability Issues and the Inter-departmental Staff Team on Access and Equity will continue a systemic review of accessibility issues and the objectives of this report. The City will review the targets achieved, the work that has been completed, and provide an update of plans for future years as part of its submission for its annual report in 2004. Given the scope of the Ontarians with Disabilities Act, it is expected that further guidelines and regulations will be enacted in the future that may have implications for the municipality. The Chief Administrative Officer will continue to monitor and consult with the Ontario Accessibility Directorate regarding future actions.

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